


The Dragonknight

by extrastellar



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Jousting, M/M, Mystery knights, Pre-Slash, Tourneys, appreciate your festivites mukkun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 08:18:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10635951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extrastellar/pseuds/extrastellar
Summary: The royal family of Yosen hosts a tourney in honour of the youngest prince's birthday. A dull affair for Atsushi - until Ser Taiga Kagami is unhorsed by a mystery knight in a white dragon armour in the jousting finale.





	

**Author's Note:**

> *sigh* I don't even know.

Atsushi had always wondered why his parents had bothered to put him in the world. They had four kids already, all healthy and alive past infancy when Atsushi was born. There was no reason for a fifth child. Really, it was all just a giant bother.

The worst thing was his birthday. Suddenly all Yosen celebrated him as if he was their king and once the morrow came, he was only prince Atsushi, fourth in line to the throne. Exceptionally tall, yes, and more skilled with the greatsword, the warhammer and the spear than any of his brothers, but only fourth in line. A good extra for the family, but well, they could do without him.

Atsushi detested his birthday. People let him do what he wanted the other days of the year, but this one particular day, the cursed October 9th, everyone looked at him and he had to live up to the expectations a prince had to deal with. How Ayumi, Kazuki, Terumi and Hikari dealt with it? Atsushi couldn't imagine. He didn't want to, either. It was all just a giant bother. 

“Atsushi!”

The prince lazily cracked one eye open. His furs and blankets were way too comfortable and warm to leave yet. 

“What is it, sister~”, he drawled and snuggled further into the warmth his bed provided.

Ayumi Murasakibara, the oldest of Nobuyuki's and Akemi's brood, crossed long arms in front of her chest. “The maids begged me to wake you. The last time they tried you scared them so badly, they are afraid to deal with you now.”

Atsushi only grumbled and closed his eye again to drift back into his dream. There was no reason to get up yet. None at all. 

“Atsushi, get up. The tourney will start soon enough and you haven't even moved your arse out of bed.”

The furs covering the prince's giant body were cruelly ripped away and Atsushi shuddered at the cold air hitting him and curled into a ball.

“Which tourney?”, he whined and tried to grab one of the thinner blankets at the foot of the massive ebony bed. “Is it Father's coronation anniversary already?”

A deep sigh and then a hand grabbed him by the long, purple strands of hair. Atsushi yelped in surprise and pain and wrenched his sister's hand away. Great, now he was awake _and_ pissed off. 

“It's your birthday, little brother”, Ayumi said and glared at the birthday child with sleep-tousled hair and dressed in plain night clothes.

Atsushi groaned and fought to stifle a yawn. “Can't you celebrate without me? Just tell Hikari to be less excited, he can pose as me...”

This time, Ayumi yanked him upright by grabbing his hair. The younger prince's scalp was burning and he was met with the sudden desire to pull at his sister's long black tresses.

“You will get up”, the princess of Yosen said and her tone left no room to argue. “And you will attend the tourney and the following banquet. You will be at your best behaviour, am I understood?”

“... I don't want to...”

Ayumi shot him another hard glare. “Am I understood, brother?”

Atsushi couldn't help but pout. “Yes, sister.”

The princess smiled and clapped her hands. The doors to his chambers opened and a horde of maids flowed inside, carrying trays of food and piles of clothing. If it was still possible, Atsushi's mood plummeted even further. 

Ayumi gave him a hearty shove. “Happy birthday, Atsushi.”

 

Dozens of knights and nobles filled the court of Aegis' Shield, the ancient fortress of House Murasakibara of Yosen. Happy chattering, the hammering noises of the smiths working furiously in their forges and the clanking noise of steel meeting steel resonated from the high, white walls. 

“Isn't it exciting?”, Hikari asked and bounced on the balls of his feet. “All these knights came to fight in your honour, brother!”

Atsushi wondered where he could get some snacks.

“They say that prince Shintarou of Shutoku is going to contest in the archery competition!”

So Mido-chin was there? That didn't soothe his grumbling stomach.

“And prince Daiki of Touou has been seen warming up with prince Ryouta of Kaijo!”

Atsushi grimaced. It was no secret that the two princes had an affair and the last thing he wanted to do on his birthday was deal with them trying not to be too lovey-dovey. 

“Sadly, prince Seijuurou of Rakuzan couldn't make it... but prince Tetsuya of Seirin is here, accompanied by Ser Taiga Kagami!”

Atsushi would stuff his brother's mouth with the snacks he desired so much just to make him shut up by now. So Aka-chin wasn't here – he could live with that. He'd send a hawk with his best wishes and some sweet treats and that was more than most of the people here would do.

“Prince Shougo of Fukuda Sogo didn't come, of course”, Hikari said and scoffed, “but I can gladly make do without his presence. Oh, and a hawk arrived bearing a letter for you from prince Shuuzo! I had it brought to your chambers, did you receive it? Atsushi? Brother, are you even listening to me?”

Atsushi spotted a servant carrying a plate of candied fruits and strode off, leaving his brother yelling after him. 

 

As it was expected, Shintarou Midorima won the archery competition. The only one standing a chance against him was Kaijo's Ryouta Kise. But then, Kise's abilities of learning a move by just looking at it once were famous throughout the realm. 

Kazunari Takao, one of Midorima's guards, managed to win the knife-throwing competition from Yukio Kasamatsu and Daiki Aomine beat Taiga Kagami in swordfighting.

The usual champions were either confirmed or not present: Seijuurou Akashi had been the reigning champion in knife-throwing and jousting, but he had to stay in Rakuzan. 

But now, the main event of every tourney was about to start: the jousting. 

Atsushi shifted in his seat. The royal family towered above the jousting grounds, shielded from the cold autumn sun by deep purple canopies. The worst thing about these birthday tourneys was the fact that he couldn't participate. It was said to be bad luck if one were to injure himself on his birthday and people would let him win, anyway. No fun.

So he was just sitting there, among his family, in stuffy white and purple robes (he really hated these colours – they were everywhere in Aegis' Shield, especially today!) watching other knights fighting each other. Despite his laziness, Atsushi felt an itch in his fingers to grab his warhammer or his greatsword and join in.

One knight after another was thrown off his horse and the crowd cheered whenever armour hit the sand. Horses whinnied, wooden lances splintered and armour rattled until the final two contenstants were determined: Ser Taiga of House Kagami, a kingsguard of Seirin, who had managed to unhorse prince Ryouta earlier, and to everyone's surprise, not Daiki Aomine or Shintarou Midorima, but a mystery knight.

Atsushi leant forwards, slightly intrigued. Mystery knights appeared every once in a while and more often than not they left the tourneys as victors. 

The mystery knight wore a shining white dragon armour and carried a shield with a white dragon on a light grey field. 

“They call him the 'Dragonknight'”, Hikari whispered in his brother's ear. For once, Atsushi actually listened to whatever gossip his brother had to share. “He showed up at the tournament at Fukuda Sogo in honour of King Arata's coronation and then at Touou in honour of prince Daiki's birthday two years ago! He placed second at the latter tourney and first at the one at Fukuda Sogo! He hasn't been seen for over a year now!”

“What sigil is that?”, Atsushi asked and studied the Dragonknight bringing his white mare into position. “It's not teikoan.” 

“No”, Kazuki, the crown prince, said from Atsushi's left. “It must be from across the Vast Sea. I'm not familiar with their Houses, though.”

Ser Taiga shut his visor, grabbed the dark-red lance his squire Kawahara gave him and brought his black stallion into position. The almost black armour reflected no light and his shield showed the head of a golden tiger on red ground. 

The Dragonknight got into position himself and took the white lance that was offered to him.

King Nobuyuki waved once and the two knights spurred on their horses.

The crowd fell silent as everyone watched the two mounts race towards another, separated only by a low timber scaffolding. With a loud crunching noise, Ser Taiga's lance crashed into the white armour of his opponent and splintered, but the Dragonknight remained in his saddle, only swaying a bit.

“He rides well”, Terumi mumbled from Atsushi's right. “An ordinary knight would have been unhorsed.”

“Of course he's not an ordinary knight if he's made it into the finale of the jousting competition”, Ayumi said with a scoff. “Don't you pride yourself of your horseriding and jousting, Terumi? Be accurate, then.”

Terumi shot her a bored look and brushed a stray strand of black hair out of his purple eyes that everyone in the Murasakibara brood inherited from their mother, Queen Akemi. “Yes, sister.” 

Meanwhile, Ser Taiga held a new lance and the two knights started their jousting anew.

Atsushi watched the Dragonknight move his lance in a somewhat absurd way and hit the bigger knight at the shoulder. The crash of wood splintering on the impact was nothing compared to the crowd's cheers when Ser Taiga Kagami, kingsguard of King Yashiro of Seirin, hit the sandy ground.

Hikari was cheering as loud as the commoners next to his little brother. “Have you seen that? That's how he won in Touou, too! The Dragonknight's Mirage Lance!”

Atsushi couldn't help but stare at the knight in white armour waving at the crowd while making his horse trot in front of the royal family's seats. How did that trick work? And how was this slim mystery knight able to bring up enough power to unhorse the giant Kagami with one thrust?

The crowd's cheering died down when the King rose. 

“Lift your visor, ser, and show the face of a victor”, King Nobuyuki spoke.

Atsushi leant forward when the Dragonknight removed his helmet. Gasps and squeals filled the air of the tourney ground as soon as that had happened.

The Dragonknight was beautiful. Shiny ebony hair covered his left eye and he had a beauty mark beneath one stormy grey eye. His smile was gentle and proud when he bowed his head to the King.

Then he turned to Atsushi and the prince swallowed when the knight's grey gaze came to rest upon him. 

“This is the face of the winner of your tourney, prince Atsushi”, he said and his voice was soft, like satin. “But my name shall remain a mystery. May the gods bless you and your family on this special day.”

He bowed once more, received his prize and had his mare led off the tourney grounds, surrounded by the crowd's reignited cheers.

 

“Kazu-chin”, Atsushi asked as soon as they were out of reach for curious commoners and lords to hear them. “Are you sure you don't know him?”

Kazuki shot him a surprised look. “What is this? You showing genuine interest in something? Or rather, someone?”

Atsushi barely suppressed a groan of annoyance. “Brother~”

Kazuki chuckled. “No, I don't. I had hoped Hikari could help me, but he is as clueless as we are. You could, of course, visit him in his tent. You are the prince and it's your birthday, you are free to do what you wish.”

Atsushi nodded and turned on his heel, taking long strides back to the tourney grounds. He _needed_ to know the Dragonknight's name or he wouldn't be able to properly enjoy the banquet.

The tent was easy to find – guarded by half a dozen yoseni men, with the dragon sigil shield indicating whose tent it was. 

“Prince Atsushi”, one of the guards spoke. Atsushi recognised his accent, this was Liu Wei, one of the kingsguard. “It is a great honour to meet thee. May the gods bless thy name.”

Oh, yes, his weird way of talking. 

“I wanna talk to the knight”, he requested and Liu was clever enough not to stop him. The guards stepped aside and Atsushi stepped into the tent.

It was well illuminated for the tent was made of white linen and the slightly dented white armour was being tended to by a squire.

“Prince Atsushi”, the soft voice of the Dragonknight came from his left. “This comes as a surprise. Welcome. May the gods bless you.”

Atsushi turned towards the source of the voice. The Dragonknight's upper body was bare and he wore simple black pants and black boots. A physician was tending to bruises on the knight's ribs, smearing salve on the purpling flesh. 

The Dragonknight laughed softly and Atsushi found himself almost entranced by the sound. “My apologies... I'm afraid I can't offer you any wine or food. I would cover myself, but you see... I have to get these bruises treated, although I've had worse, really.”

The physician tutted at that and then proceeded to tend to the injuries.

“What's your name?”, Atsushi blurted out. 

The Dragonknight blinked. “My name? Your Highness, I keep it a secret.”

“I'm your prince and it's my birthday”, Atsushi said stubbornly. Did he sound like a child? Possibly, but he found that he didn't care. “I demand your name.”

The other man laughed again, that soft, soothing sound, before asking the physician to leave. The elderly man frowned, but left the tent after bowing to the prince.

“I'm very sorry, prince Atsushi”, the Dragonknight said once the physician had left. “But I am not from here. Therefore, you are not _my_ prince.”

Atsushi scowled. “You are in Yosen and you competed in a yoseni tourney in my honour. I _am_ your prince, at least for today.”

The Dragonknight sighed and rose, wincing slightly. He was tall for an ordinary man – but Atsushi and his father and brothers were all over two metres, making the Dragonknight much shorter than him.

“You're from across the Vast Sea, aren't you?”, Atsushi heard himself ask.

The Dragonknight looked at him, surprise evident on his face. “...yes.”

That accent, Atsushi _knew_ that accent...! 

'Kagami', he remembered. 'Kagami talked like that when he arrived from... from where? What was his home called? Angelin?'

“Is something the matter, prince Atsushi?”

“Angeles”, Atsushi said and the Dragonknight tensed. “You're from Angeles, right~?”

The Dragonknight's face didn't show any change of emotion. Instead, he cocked his head and motioned for his squire. He said something in a weird sounding language and the boy nodded and left as well.

“Yes, you are right, your Highness”, he said quietly and touched the white armour glinting slightly in the light falling into the tent. “I am from Angeles. As it would be easy to find out who I am now – Angeles is small, after all – I can tell you. I am Ser Tatsuya Himuro.”

Atsushi stared at him. “The only son of one of the knights of the kingsguard accompanying prince Shuuzo across the Vast Sea?”

Himuro smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. “My father was killed by the Jabberwock rebels. Silver crushed his head. I helped prince Shuuzo flee once the rebels reached the palace. I took his place and fought alongside Queen Alexandra to beat them back.”

Atsushi remembered – prince Shuuzo of House Nijimura, future Emperor of Teiko and therefore, his future liege lord, had arrived without prior notice at the rakuzan port one night and had reported on how the Jabberwock rebels were attacking the angelesi palace. 

“The queen had me sent away to save me, she treasured me like her son. The same way she did with Taiga”, the Dragonknight - _Tatsuya Himuro_ \- continued. “Has Taiga ever told anyone about the man he considered his brother back in Angeles?”

A bitter laugh.

“Of course he hasn't. That made unhorsing him even more satisfactory”, Himuro said and laughed once again, but soft and sweet again. “My apologies, prince Atsushi. I'm rambling.”

Atsushi studied the man in front of him. His father had told him about the Jabberwock uprising in Angeles three years ago and he had told him about the queensguard that had protected Queen Alexandra even when the rebels were enclosing on the throne room anf they were fewer in number.  
This man, Tatsuya Himuro, was one of said queensguard, discharged for his own safety and sent off across the Vast Sea where he made a living as a mystery knight. 

“I want you to enter my services as princeguard”, he said and found a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

The Dragonknight laughed once more. “I am honoured, prince Atsushi. But I must decline.”

Atsushi frowned and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “That was an order. I named you to my personal princeguard.”

Ser Tatsuya's smile didn't waver. “Dear prince, I'm angelesi. We are not named to royal guards.”

“What does it matter?~”, Atsushi drawled, annoyed. “Angelesi stuff belongs to Angeles. We're in Yosen and I _named you to be my guard_.”

Now the Dragonknight's brows furrowed. “Prince Atsushi, may I suggest something?”

Atsushi huffed. “Whatever~”

“If you prove yourself worthy of my services by beating me in jousting, archery, knife-throwing and swordfighting”, the smaller man said, “I will follow your call and become your princeguard. If you lose in any of them, I will be on my way to the next tourney and I shall never be bothered by you again.”

The prince of Yosen growled and shouted for Liu. The knight entered the tent and bowed.

“Fetch Thor”, Atsushi growled. “I want that horse down here as soon as possible.”

Liu blinked almost owlishly. “My prince?”

Atsushi glanced at Himuro who offered him a confident smile. “I have someone to win over.”


End file.
